Who doesn’t love french fries? Spicy Confetti French Fry Bake is my take on a recipe from Taste of Home that caught my eye.
The recipe description was it came from a church gathering and was a simple, fast, and fun way to serve fries. Plus, it had added veggies. I was in!!
I have been singing the praises of the Wal Mart grocery pick up from the first time I tried it. Seriously, if you have not tried it, you don’t know what you are missing. Use this link and save $10 on your first order.
At the end of an order, you have the option of letting them provide a substitution if they are out of stock of an item you order. I usually unclick this as I am pretty brand-specific.
They were out of the fries I ordered, and a spicy brand of french fries was subbed. At first, I was dubious, but with Tim’s love of spicy, I gave it a try. Score!!!
The spicy fries were perfect. The original recipe also called for pimentos. I used red peppers along with the green peppers, carrots, and onions for the confetti effect. I think the original recipe was geared to kids, so I adulted it up.
Smoked white cheddar cheese was another of my substitutions. Tim and I both like the flavor, and if I was going to gear the recipe to adults, a smoky cheese sounded great.
The other change I made was to pre-bake the fries, hoping to keep some of the crispiness to the french fries. I can’t say they stayed super crispy, but they retained a firmness that I think would have been lost otherwise.
True to the Taste of Home recipe, Spicy Confetti French Fry Bake was a simple, fast, fun, and now spicy way to serve french fries.
Print
Spicy Confetti French Fry Bake
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter,
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 each small green and red pepper, chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons flour flour
2 cups milk
1 medium carrot, shredded
3/4 cup shredded smoked white cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 22 ounce package frozen spicy french-fried potatoes
Instructions
Cook french fries according to package directions.
Once fries are done, reduce oven heat to 375°.
In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and peppers; cook and stir until tender, 3-4 minutes.
Stir in flour until blended; gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
Stir in 1/2 cup cheese, salt, and pepper until cheese is melted. Remove from heat.
Place french-fried potatoes in a greased 9X9-inch baking dish; pour the sauce over the top. Bake, uncovered, until bubbly, 30 minutes.
Sprinkle with remaining cheese; bake until cheese is melted, 3-5 minutes longer.
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
Plain fries can be used and you can switch up the cheese to your taste.
